Biotech is trying to boost drug production efficiency—using chicken eggs

Synthetic biology transforms cells into custom DNA foundries

At companies like Ginkgo Bioworks, researchers are reprogramming cells to act as workshops that can create custom molecules, such as medicines and fertilizers, by stitching together DNA sequences—often in novel combinations—before inserting them into an organism's genome.

Recombinant DNA technology turns microorganisms into protein factories

Genes for molecules such as insulin can be inserted into loops of bacterial DNA called plasmids and reinserted into bacteria. Once placed in fermentation tanks, these bacteria use the gene to produce these molecules, which are then harvested and purified for eventual use.

Most flu vaccines are still produced using chicken eggs

For decades, influenza vaccines have been made by growing viruses inside fertilized chicken eggs. Though newer methods using cell cultures or recombinant technology exist, egg-based production remains the primary global manufacturing process.

Gene therapy, a hope of the Human Genome Project, has successfully treated a baby born with a rare urea cycle disorder that causes toxic ammonia level buildup.

A first-of-its-kind clinical trial taps livers from gene-edited pigs to clean blood

The experimental dialysis-like treatment from United Therapeutics, eGenesis, and OrganOx, is designed to help people with liver failure. The therapy, which involves attaching the modified pig liver externally, filters a patient’s blood so their own livers can temporarily rest and perhaps heal.

Scientists have created a cell from scratch—called a SpudCell—proof-of-concept work that a lab-made cell can feed, grow, and replicate like a natural cell.

Epigenetic editing—altering gene expression by removing or adding chemical groups on DNA—is making significant strides in the lab, even lowering cholesterol in monkey experiments by about 70%. (Free w/email.)

Scientists using gene therapy recently managed to regenerate retinal cells in the lab—a breakthrough for mammals that could potentially lead to future treatments for human retinal diseases.

The scientist that biohacked a buff frog

If a tree frog was injected with a DNA mixture containing follistatin, a gene that may influence muscle growth, would it become buff? Josiah Zayner hopes so. By learning how to biohack animals, he hopes people are one step closer to feeling more comfortable "whipping up DIY gene therapy."

Genetic engineering will change everything forever

Designer babies, the end of diseases, genetically modified humans that never age. Outrageous things that used to be science fiction are suddenly becoming reality. As scientists increasingly understand how specific genes cause disease, the possibility of engineering our genes to not only "fix" problems but enhance our natural ability grows.

Scientists may have discovered why gene-edited pig kidneys are rejected in humans

In November 2025, researchers studying how a brain-dead donor’s body responded to the transplantation of a genetically engineered pig kidney, published that they’ve identified immune system reactions that may explain why these pig organs get rejected. What’s more, they were able to reverse the rejections with an already available drug combination and the kidney functioned well. They also pinpointed a way to detect a potential rejection up to five days sooner.

Genetic engineering has accelerated millennia of altering various crops' genes

Although farmers have long cross-bred crops to obtain plants with specific colors, sizes, and other characteristics, these processes took significant time. Today, genetic modification in agriculture involves scientists altering an organism's DNA for various purposes, including enhancing pathogen resistance, removing allergens, and delaying spoilage.

Scientific advances are unlocking a wide range of alternatives to IVF

From refined artificial insemination and microsurgical sperm extraction to experimental uterine transplants, scientific innovation is rapidly advancing potential fertilization technologies. But they come along with costly trials, some ethical dilemmas, regulatory issues, and more.

Synthetic biology can prevent extinction by creating create disease-resilient plants and animals

Through gene editing and the deployment of artificial cells, scientists can leverage learnings from the genetic sequencing of animals with known resistances to protect endangered species. Gene editing of certain species, such as mosquitoes, can also reduce their ability to spread diseases like malaria between humans.

Tasting a lab-grown chicken nugget

Taste testing the first clean meat chicken nugget from a San Francisco company developing cultured meat. It's chicken, but not as you know it.

A scientist successfully treated her own breast cancer by injecting the tumor with lab-grown viruses.

Restaurants are ramping up chicken dishes in 'The Great Chickening,' an industry-wide move toward chicken and away from beef.

How personalized gene-editing saved a baby's life

KJ Muldoon had a 50% chance of surviving a genetic mutation until doctors developed a one-of-a-kind gene-editing therapy. In an interview with one of the researchers behind the treatment, learn what it will take to make personalized genetic medicine possible for everyone.

In 2026, the FDA proposed a novel approach to expedite reviews of gene therapies for patients with rare genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, potentially bypassing the need for years-long clinical trials if approved.

Gene therapy can occur inside the body, but it can also be completed outside the body—with scientists treating cells in the lab, and then those corrected cells are transplanted back into the body.

Meet six commercially available synbio products

An article exploring the science behind synbio products currently on the market, and projecting the products that can be expected over the next 10 years.

US federal researchers are blocked from putting certain human cells in animals

In 2015, US policymakers put a halt to any government-funded work that would insert human stem cells into animals. The reasoning was that human cells might spread through the animal's body and perhaps to its brain, blurring the line between humans and nonhumans. The ban remains in place today even as gene-edited pig parts are being placed in humans.

See how a novel gene editing technique called base editing can create changes in a single DNA base, using a more precise targeting approach than CRISPR-Cas9.

See this list of FDA-approved gene therapies, including offerings for inherited conditions as well as some forms of cancer.

In 2026, researchers at the University of Minnesota created the world's first synthetic cell—a cell made from non-living chemical components—that can eat, grow, divide, and compete with other cells for resources.

3-parent baby technique fuels worries of future 'designer babies'

Some critics of this approach worry that any genetic manipulation will both culturally and technologically normalize the idea of "designer babies"—embryos that are manipulated or selected based on physiological characteristics including height, eye color, athletic ability, and intelligence.

Four frozen embryos in the US were created via 3-parent IVF technique

Columbia University researchers created four embryos using mitochondrial replacement therapy for four female patients who didn't want to pass on mitochondrial diseases to their children. Yet US law restricts the researchers from implanting the embryos so they remain frozen. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Biohacking to boost personal health has become a concept that encompasses everything from vitamin regimens and cryochambers to brain implants and red light therapy.

Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson's mission to live forever

Johnson has invested millions of dollars into developing a biohacking program he believes will extend his life beyond typical expectations, relying on medical professionals to reduce his "biological age." Most notably, he drew significant public attention with reports of blood-swapping with his teenage son.

AI can aid fertility treatments, from helping select egg candidates to laboratory automation

Reproductive AI technologies are already here, from processing vast amounts of data to helping clinicians identify the healthiest embryos for implantation. It could be a boon to the fertility industry, and help mitigate the shortage of experienced embryologists.

Why don't we synthesize blood?

We're trying. Scientists are currently working on creating viable synthetic blood, an alternative to the presently relied-upon donations that manage to fall short of demand. More than half of the world's nations struggle to meet their population's need for blood. This article details current and historical efforts to develop synthetic blood, a venture that started more than 400 years ago.

China is producing many peptides or peptide components sold in the US.

The 'Armamentarium' is a set of new gene therapy tools—including viruses that could shuttle therapies into the body—designed to fight brain diseases.

Biotech ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to multiple promising companies in the industry

Biotech ETFs offer a diversified alternative to purchasing an individual biotech stock and gambling on whether an individual company’s clinical trial yields the next blockbuster cancer treatment or an absolute flop. This list of the top biotech ETFs in 2025 can help you learn more about them.

It can take 10 to 15 years and more than $1B to develop a new antibiotic.

Why don't we just develop new antibiotics? In part, it's a complex scientific challenge, but market incentives also play a significant role. It can be time consuming, expensive, and most notably, we should use as little as possible to avoid driving further antibiotic resistance.

Selecting an embryo based on polygenic score is illegal in the UK, Israel, and swaths of Europe

Though their use for embryo selection is illegal in many locations, private clinics in the US may offer polygenic scores to inform embryo selection. The US Food and Drug Administration has not banned their use—instead the tests are regulated like supplements, meaning they are not regulated before they come to market but consumers can file complaints and then the agency may take action.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Cross-species transplantation has been attempted in medicine for more than 300 years.

Using artificial wombs to improve preterm infant health outcomes

Researchers at a hospital in the US have successfully used artificial wombs to care for preterm lambs and are now looking at the possibility of human trials. This nine-minute video includes interviews with the researchers and explains the reasoning...

Genetic engineering mice is one idea to reduce Lyme disease transmission

Wild white-footed mice are the main carriers of Lyme. A research team is hoping to genetically engineer mice, using CRISPR, to make the animals immune to Lyme. They're proposing a field trial where they would insert a gene with an antibody to Lyme infection to break the disease transmission cycle on a private island and then try it in Nantucket if that goes well. Simply killing the mice isn't an option because it would upend food webs. Unlike traditional vaccines, this "heritable immunization" would pass from one generation of mice to the next.

Gene therapy treats a disease by editing the disease's underlying DNA, replacing it with a functional variant.

The economics of horseshoe crab blood

Horseshoe crabs are older than dinosaurs and have survived five mass extinctions that wiped most life from the planet. But it's only now that their future as a species is in danger. This blood, worth about $60,000 per gallon, is hyper-sensitized to certain bacteria that are fatal to humans. This 17-minute podcast dives into humanity's pursuit of horseshoe crab blood, a "somewhat magical" mixture heavily relied on by the pharmaceutical industry.

In vitro gametogenesis: using induced stem cells to fertilize eggs

Using stem cells from skin and mouth cells could save hopeful parents time and money and spare egg donors from significant amounts of discomfort throughout the process. There are potential consequences, not just for infertility treatment, but for the ability to create customized cells of any type.

US labs drain an estimated 500,000 horseshoe crabs of blood each year to harvest a compound that screens vaccines and medical devices for bacterial toxins.

How the Supreme Court established biotechnology patent law with an oil-eating microbe

While working at General Electric, microbiologist Ananda Chakrabarty engineered a strain of Pseudomonas that could break down multiple types of hydrocarbons and filed a patent on the bioremediation organism. Despite challenges over whether living things could be patented, the 5-4 decision held that genetically modified organisms could be patented because they were human-made inventions.

CRISPR technology is removing allergens from common foods

Proteins responsible for allergies to eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, and other foods can be genetically edited out of foods to reduce the risk of life-threatening reactions. The technique has also been used to produce caffeine-free coffee beans, spicier tomatoes, allergen-free pets, and more nutritious fish.

It took scientists 277 attempts to successfully clone Dolly from an adult sheep mammalian cell, underscoring the immense undertaking and challenges—some of which still persist today.

What is cancer bioengineering?

While new treatments for cancer are under continuous development, researchers are increasingly using engineering principles to find wholly new strategies to combat the disease. Directions include nanoparticle drug delivery, advanced imaging tools, developing new materials to interact with cells, tissue engineering, robotic surgeries, and more. Such interdisciplinary efforts are expected to unlock new tools and therapies beyond traditional drug formulation.

Making industrial chemicals with synthetic biology

A new report forecasts that synthetic biology will transform from creating niche, environmentally friendly products to creating new molecules within the next decade.

Xenotransplants are an experimental last resort for the terminally ill when they cannot or will not receive a human organ.